push button swivels in a wood rifle

[mainecoon]

I'm a fan of the push button style swivels, which are more geared toward tactical rifles, but I put some in a wood Mauser. Not sure if this is "Bubba"ing the rifle but I guess that's up for debate. The flush cup fits fine on the fore end but on the buttstock, the angle of the stock bottom prevents the swivel from locking in the cup. The Grovtech swivels do not have enough reach to engage the locking mechanism. Any suggestions about this?

 

[LoonWulf]

I'm assuming the swivel itself is hitting the stock? If so I'd relieve the stock a bit to allow the swivel to sit correctly

 

[Varminterror]

Is the socket not set perpendicular to the belly of the buttstock? Sounds like it is set perpendicular to the comb, meaning installed incorrectly.

Relieve the stock slightly to allow the swivel to connect securely.

 

[AlexanderA]

Relieve the stock slightly to allow the swivel to connect securely.

It appears that the flush cup is set too deeply. Rather than removing any more wood, I would put a washer under the cup, so as to raise it to the point where the swivel itself does not bind. The cup should be flush fore-and-aft, but raised a bit when viewed side-to-side. This is difficult to explain, but easy to visualize. The problem arises because the bottom of the buttstock is not flat.

 

[Varminterror]

@AlexanderA - putting a washer under the cup will only work if the cup were installed (doubly) incorrectly. The socket should be epoxied in place.

Since the OP stated the angle of the stock is causing the issue with the rear socket, it seems more likely that he installed the socket at an angle to the belly, instead of perpendicular. Square is square, when they’re installed correctly.

 

[AlexanderA]

We agree that the socket is set too deeply. The main thing attaching the socket is a wood screw through the bottom of the socket. Epoxy would be secondary. If he epoxied it in place, he might have to drill out the socket in order to replace it and set it higher.

This is why I don't like the flush cup style of sling swivels.

 

[mainecoon]

Thank you. I will probably shave off a little wood. My other option would be somehow heat the flush cup to weaken the epoxy and unscrew it a bit.

 

[Varminterror]

I’ve installed dozens of sockets, many in wooden stocks. I don’t waste time with the wood screw through the bottom and I don’t typically use the threaded body sockets (hate the look where they stand proud at the edges of the belly). Just epoxy in place. The wood will rip apart before the epoxy would yield.

Not knowing which epoxy you used, heating to weaken and remove might be a bear of a task, especially without causing damage to the stock. Need a big woodburning iron or soldering iron, as that’s a lot of surface that needs to be quite hot.

 

[mainecoon]

Or take a Dremel to the base of the sling swivel - just enough to allow it to connect? Hmm... that's the problem with hobbies - too many options.